Leisurely Fall Ride

Paul and Jane billed last Saturday's ride as a "Leisurely Fall Ride" and it was that and more. Saturday was a typical fall day and Team Wells broke out the DOGS lined jackets for the trip to Stillwater. As is typical of this season, by the time we got to Stillwater, the jackets were not required, but arm and leg warmers, as well as wind jackets, were the uniform-of-the-day for Team Wells.

Participating in the ride were Teams: Fialcowitz (Paul and Jane) (our hosts), Wells (George and Linda), Willard/Hamanaka (Walt and Claire), Isherwood (Larry and Brenda), McPhee/Flint (Neil and Barbara), and Cudworth (Al and Deb).

Paul figured that all of the DOGS would be doing the longer route, so cue sheets were ready for the 30 mile loop but only a highlighted map for the shorter route. This gave Linda fits - providing directions from a map while riding the tandem. It was a bit daunting, but it worked. The ride was also advertised as hilly, and it did live up to that part of the advertisement as Team Wells used their granny-gear many times through the 20 mile route. We also made the decision that we would not try to go too fast on this ride. (Good decision.)

The first six miles were gently rolling to the coffee stop where we all got great munchies, good coffee, (and hot chocolate for Linda), and made fluid adjustments at The Gourmet Gallery before launching onto the remainder of the ride. Then the hills began -- just a few tenths of a mile from the coffee stop. The first hill was quite steep but not too long and the roads undulated from there on with only the rare patch of actually flat roadways. This was a day for the climbers. At the point where we turned off Maple onto Millbrook the view of a small lake with a background of trees just beginning the turn of color was so beautiful that Team Wells just had to stop and look for a few minutes before resuming the route. We caught Walt and Claire along Millbrook and kept in sight of them until we turned right on to Birch Ridge, which had a really steep climb, as well (but we made it!) Of course, what goes up, as the proverb says, must come down, and we were finally rewarded with a long downhill run when we made a right turn off of Middlevale on to Route 617 that took us back to the start point.

Following the ride we all wended our way to the Team Fialcowitz HQ, where we feasted on home made soups lovingly prepared by Jane. Lots of great conversation, talk about upcoming winter rides, and the return of the Pancake Rides seem to be on the near horizon. All in all it was another great day out with the DOGS. More rides yet to come so if you missed this one there will be others.

Linda & George Wells
Leaders - Doubles Of the Garden State (DOGS)